TWO BRITONS HELD FOR STABBING

Richard Roberts and Paul Griffiths, both also from Liverpool, were arrested by the Guardia Civil as they tried to board a plane for Britain at Palma airport just hours after 26-year-old Daniel Hastelow was beaten and stabbed at his small apartment in Magalluf.

The victim lived and worked in the popular holiday resort and on Friday was allegedly involved in a bar fight with 35-year-old Richard Roberts. According to eyewitnesses to the fight, which was reported to the police, Roberts vowed to get revenge and allegedly threatened Hastelow's life.

Late on Saturday night, the victim's birthday, Roberts and 22-year-old Griffiths apparently went round to the victim's flat in the Playa Mar complex armed with a knife and a baseball bat.

The two men are alleged by police to have kicked in the door and quickly set on Hastelow.
Neither he nor his two flat mates apparently had time to react.
Hastelow suffered three stab wounds to the chest and at least one in the thorax causing serious internal injuries to a lung and kidney.
The two attackers fled the small apartment within minutes and police and paramedics dashed to the scene.
Hastelow was found in a critical condition and rushed to Son Dureta hospital where he died two hours later, just as the two suspects were arrested at Palma airport.

However, according to the police, Hastelow managed to give them the name of his attacker before he died. The two men were also caught on film by one of the close circuit televisions cameras in the apartment block.

Police sources said yesterday that Richard Roberts, the prime suspect, had allegedly confessed to the crime.
He allegedly told the police that he felt threatened by Hastelow.
The two men are understood to have known each other for quite some time and after Friday's fight, Roberts decided to defend his reputation.
He told the police yesterday that Paul Griffiths had nothing to do with the crime but a Palma judge will decide this morning.
Yesterday, the police handling the investigation watched the images recorded by the security camera while Guardia Civil GEAS divers searched for the murder weapon which is thought to have been tossed into the sea.

Police said yesterday that the victim, a large man with tattoos and a number of gold teeth, was well known in Magalluf and apparently had a reputation for getting into fights in the bars.

Calvia police sources said last night that investigations into the attack would continue throughout the week.